Video: Major League Ultimate comes to West Seattle with Rainmakers’ first home game

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(Video and photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Never seen a Major League Ultimate (disc) game before? Neither had we. So we put a bit of last night’s Seattle Rainmakers vs. Vancouver Nighthawks game on video. As reported here earlier this month, the Rainmakers are playing their home games at Southwest Athletic Complex this spring, and last night was the home opener. Hundreds of fans were there:

The crowd included Nighthawks fans who drove down from Vancouver, judging by the British Columbia license plates we noted in the parking lot. And for the Rainmakers’ side, there was superfan Karlito:

From right across SW Thistle Street, Chief Sealth International High School Band musicians came to play:

Back to the game:

By the way, Seattle’s in white:

The Rainmakers won 14-12, as noted on the team’s official Twitter feed, which was full of play-by-play as well as photos. Next Saturday (April 27), the Rainmakers host the Portland Stags, 7 pm at SWAC – here’s the full schedule, which also features two West Seattle games in May and two in June. If you can’t make it to the stadium, check for a free live stream, here. Last but not least, if you want to learn about the game – MLU’s rules are still evolving, but the latest set is here.

HatMomma April 21, 2013 (1:03 pm)

What about the Seattle Sockeye!!? They’ve been around a while and play international teams as well. Share the love.

WSB April 21, 2013 (1:11 pm)

If they play in West Seattle, we’ll cover them. I haven’t found a schedule on their site, though: http://www.seattlesockeye.org/

Observer April 21, 2013 (1:58 pm)

What is up with a referee? I thought that one of ultimates major tenants was the ‘spirit of the game’.

NWO April 21, 2013 (2:11 pm)

Actually, many Seattle Sockeye players are on the Rainmakers.

Heather April 21, 2013 (3:56 pm)

So cool! Great video clip!

Seen more than a little April 21, 2013 (9:29 pm)

If that snippet was indicative, Sockeye would destroy either of them. There’s probably a mixed gender team that would give them competitive games.

These guys have been practicing how long?

I’m disappointed in their effort at cutting, and their offensive decision-making. The turnover rate was atrocious, and the defensive pressure, while expected to be less given the broader field of play, was absent. That was disappointing.

Sockeye (and all club teams) don’t play a “home” and “away” schedule. They play tournaments (7-8 games to 15 in a two-day weekend if they reach the finals, 4-5 on Saturday pool play, the remainder is usually single-elimination), and if they’re lucky they get to host one. The season that matters for the club teams lasts three weekends– sectionals, regionals, and the championships– if they win they’ll play 20-25 games over three weekends that are three weeks apart each on the calendar. It’s a far different (and frankly far more brutal) schedule.

WSFrisbeeBoy April 21, 2013 (9:55 pm)

These guys have been practicing for about a month and while not a huge factor, playing with an innova in weather is different than many are used to.

Of the 29 players listed on the team website i can count 21 elite club players with nationals experience and 17 current or former Sockeye players.

Carlos d'Avis April 23, 2013 (3:59 pm)

The Seattle Rainmakers are part of Major League Ultimate, which is a different league/organization than USA Ultimate, which is the league/organization under which Seattle Sockeye competes.

http://mlultimate.com/ versus http://www.usaultimate.org/

Between the two leagues/orgs there are numerous differences in rules. These MLU differences were designed, as far as I know, to generate a more professional and marketable spectator product. The MLU is clearly still experimenting and tweaking to attain this goal.

Sorry, comment time is over.